BERKELEY -
Taking another step forward on the project to renovate Memorial Stadium, the University of California Tuesday released the final environmental impact report for the overall southeast campus master plan, which includes the proposed Student-Athlete High Performance Center.

The EIR and design for the High Performance Center will be presented for certification to the UC Board of Regents when they meet in Los Angeles Nov. 14.

"With the EIR out today, we have reached another significant milestone in the process to renovate Memorial Stadium," Cal Athletic Director Sandy Barbour said. "We are committed to maintaining strong working relationships with the City of Berkeley, as well as the nearby residents, through all phases of the project, including construction activities. We are thrilled by the progress we are making and look forward to the Regents' approval when they meet later this month."

The High Performance Center, the first phase of the project to reach the design stage, will be a 142,000 square-foot facility built into the slope along the western edge of Memorial Stadium. The roof of the center will be at what is now the ground level at the west wall of the stadium, serving as a 68,000-square-foot landscaped plaza with direct access to the stadium and a gathering place for gamedays and everyday activities.

In addition to locker rooms, meeting rooms and offices for football and 12 of Cal's Olympic sports, the center will house a state-of-the-art training, applied sports science and medicine complex for daily use by approximately 450 student-athletes.

For more information, see the university's complete release on the EIR.